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TEMC’s 28th annual Early Music Fair — a Culture Days event — happeningfrom noon to 4:30pm, also on the 29th at Montgomery’s Inn — youmight encounter lutes, viols and lots else!Another Toronto Culture Days mini-concert showcases the verybusy lutenist Lucas Harris, who will perform exquisite lute solosfrom 18th-century Germany, followed by a question and answer session(your chance to find out more about the lute). Part of the TorontoCentre for the Arts “Season Launch OpenHouse,” this performance takes place at theGeorge Weston Recital Hall on September 30.The Musicians In Ordinaryare back, with their builtinlute/theorbo player JohnEdwards. This duo bringsscholarly research to each oftheir performances. Their firstconcert of the season,” HisPerfections Like the Sunbeams,”commemorates the life anduntimely death of Henry,Prince of Wales, “the best kingBritain never had” accordingto Edwards; had he notdied of typhoid at age 18 andbeen succeeded by his haplessbrother Charles, history wouldhave been changed! The concert,taking place on October 6,features the latest avant-gardecomposers of the time, some of Henry’s favourites: Ferrabosco II,Notari, Coprario and Johnson. Performers include theorbist Edwardsand soprano Hallie Fishel with guests, violinist Christopher Verretteand gambist Justin Haynes.As for that other lute-related instrument, the viol, I’ll mentionLute Legend Ensemble.Left: Henry, Prince of Wales byRobert Peake (ca 1610).Below: Matthew Wadsworth.briefly that you can hear its lovely voice in the following concerts:Music Mondays presents The Cardinal Consort of Viols’ “Rest AwhileYour Cruel Cares,” with music by Dowland, Locke, Jenkins andPurcell (September 17). In Barrie, Colours of Music presents “Fit For AKing” — music by Purcell (both Henry and Daniel), Handel and C.P.E.Bach, featuring members of Baroque Music Beside the Grange and twobaroque dancers from Opera Atelier (September 26). And in additionto his performance with the Musicians In Ordinary,mentioned above, gambistHaynes will contribute asolo prelude by Marais in aconcert of the St. VincentBaroque Soloists — aprogram of vocal andinstrumental music from the 12thto 18th centuries (September 29).Lute-free zone: Other eventsnot including lute, oud, pipa,theorbo or viol (though I maywell be wrong about that insome cases):The vibrant English choralgroup the Tallis Scholars, celebratingtheir 40th anniversary nextseason, will visit UofT’s musicfaculty this month with a programentitled “Miserere: Sorrowsof the Virgin Mary.” It features theRenaissance repertoire for whichthey’ve long been famous — Allegri’s Miserere, and music by Victoria,Praetorius, Guerrero and others (September 12).Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra’s opening group of four concerts,“Bach Brandenburg Concertos,” is indeed “an exuberantseason opener,” with the grand sonorities of horns and oboes inSIAN RICHARDS24 thewholenote.com September 1 – October 7, 2012